Screen, method of expanding a screen and method of conforming a screen to a borehole

ABSTRACT

A screen includes, a body having a permeable material with energy stored therein configured to change the body from a first volume to a second volume, and a binder in operable communication with the body configured to retain the body in the first volume until the binder is weakened sufficiently for the energy stored within the body to overcome the binder and allow the body to change from the first volume toward the second volume.

BACKGROUND

Filtering contaminates from flowing fluids is a common exercise in systems involved in transportation of fluids. Many such systems employ screens as the filtering mechanism. Screens that expand to substantially fill an annular gap, for example, between concentric tubulars, is another common practice. Some of these systems use swaging equipment to radially expand the screen. Although such equipment serves its purpose it has limitations, including a limited amount of potential expansion, complex and costly equipment and an inability to expand to fill a nonsymmetrical space. Apparatuses and methods that overcome these and other limitations with existing systems are therefore desirable to operators in the field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein is a screen. The screen includes, a body having a permeable material with energy stored therein configured to change the body from a first volume to a second volume, and a binder in operable communication with the body configured to retain the body in the first volume until the binder is weakened sufficiently for the energy stored within the body to overcome the binder and allow the body to change from the first volume toward the second volume.

Further disclosed herein is a method of expanding a screen. The method includes, generating energy within a permeable body sufficient to change the body from a first volume to a second volume, binding the permeable body to prevent the generated energy from expanding the permeable body from the first volume to the second volume, weakening the binding to a level sufficient to allow the generated energy to expand the permeable body from the first volume to the second volume, and expanding the body from the first volume toward the second volume.

Further disclosed herein is a method of conforming a screen to a borehole. The method includes, positioning a screen within a borehole, weakening a binding maintaining the screen at a first volume, expanding the screen toward a second volume with energy stored within the screen, and contacting walls of the borehole with the screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 depicts a quarter cross sectional view of a screen disclosed herein in an unexpanded configuration; and

FIG. 2 depicts a quarter cross sectional view of the screen of FIG. 1 in an expanded configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a screen disclosed herein is illustrated generally at 10. The screen 10 includes, a body 14 made of a fluid permeable material 18 with energy stored therein that allows the body 14 to expand from a first volume as illustrated in FIG. 1 to a second volume that is a larger than the first volume. The body 14, as illustrated in FIG. 2, has a larger volume than the first volume but is somewhat less than the second volume due to the body 14 contacting walls 22 of a borehole 26 within which the body 14 is positioned. A binder 30 made of a removable material 34 structurally constrains the body 14 at the first volume until the binder 30 is weakened sufficiently to allow the stored energy to be released. During release of the stored energy the body 14 expands toward the second volume.

The binder 30, in this embodiment, is a solid that is distributed within the body 14 thereby structurally constraining the body 14 at the first volume. Weakening of the binder 30 can be accomplished in different ways, depending upon the material that the binder 30 is made of. For example, when the binder 30 is made of a dissolvable material exposing the binder 30 to an applicable solvent will allow the binder 30 to dissolve thereby allowing the stored energy to be released and the body 14 to expand toward the second volume. One example of a usable binder material that is soluble in water is the synthetic polymer, polyvinyl alcohol. Dissolution of the binder 30 made of polyvinyl alcohol in water weakens the structural integrity thereof until the energy stored in the body 14 is able to break the binder 30 apart expanding the body 14 in the process. Dissolution of polyvinyl alcohol, like many soluble materials, is accelerated at increased temperatures.

In an alternate embodiment, the binder 30 could be made of a material having a low melting temperature relative to that of the body 14. Such an embodiment would allow an operator to release the energy stored in the body 14 by increasing the temperature sufficiently to melt the binder 30. In still other embodiments, the binder 30 could be made of a material that can be chemically degraded when exposed to a chemical, such as an acid for example. An operator could then expose the binder 30 to an applicable acid to initiate the chemical degradation needed to release the energy within the body 14.

Generating energy in the body 14 can be achieved in different ways depending upon the material, chemical and physical characteristics of the body 14. For example, the body 14 could be made of a material capable of regaining its original shape after being deformed, such as a polymer, that is made into a mat of substantially randomly oriented filaments extruded from one or more spinnerets, for example. The mat could then be compacted to the first volume where it is bound by the binder 30. An alternate embodiment could employ open celled foam that is deformed through an extrusion process before being bound by the binder 30.

Regardless of the material or structure of the body 14, the body 14 will have fluid filtration characteristics defined by the body 14. The filtration characteristics, however, may differ depending upon what volume the body 14 is taking. As such, an operator may set the desired filtration characteristics at a volume that the body 14 is expected to have when fully deployed.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the screen 10, as illustrated, is employed in a sand screen within the wellbore 26 in an earth formation 38. The body 14 of the screen 10 is run into the borehole 26 while in the compacted first volume configuration as shown in FIG. 1. An annular gap 42 between an outer surface 46 of the body 14 and an inner surface 50 defined by the walls 22 of the borehole 26 allow the body 14 to be run without detrimentally scraping the walls 22. Once the screen 10 is at the desired position within the borehole 26 initiation of degradation of the binder 30, as discussed above, can begin. Upon sufficient degradation of the binder 30 the body 14 can expand into contact with the walls 22. The nature of the structure of the body 14 allows it to contact the walls 22 regardless of whether the walls 22 are cylindrical or not and regardless of whether the annular gap 42 is of a consistent size or not. In fact, the walls 22 need not even be symmetrical about the body 14. Additionally, since the volume of the body 14, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is less than the second volume the body 14 will exert a force against the walls 22. This force will help prevent erosion of the walls 22 that could occur due to fluid flow if a portion of the annular gap 42 were allowed to exist between the walls 22 and the outer surface 46 after the body 14 has expanded.

In the sand screen application, the screen 10 is positioned on a tubular 54 having perforations 58 therethrough. Fluid, upon being filtered after it flows through the body 14 is able to flow through the perforations 58 and into an inside 62 of the tubular 54. Once on the inside 62 the fluid can flow longitudinally through the tubular 54 as desired.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. 

1. A screen comprising: a body having a permeable material with energy stored therein configured to change the body from a first volume to a second volume; and a binder in operable communication with the body configured to retain the body in the first volume until the binder is weakened sufficiently for the energy stored within the body to overcome the binder and allow the body to change from the first volume toward the second volume.
 2. The screen of claim 1, wherein the binder includes polyvinyl alcohol.
 3. The screen of claim 1, wherein the energy is created by compaction of the body.
 4. The screen of claim 1, wherein the binder is weakened by changes in temperature.
 5. The screen of claim 1, wherein the binder is weakened by exposure to a solvent.
 6. The screen of claim 1, wherein the binder is weakened by a chemical reaction.
 7. The screen of claim 1, wherein the binder is weakened by exposure to an acid.
 8. The screen of claim 1, wherein the permeable material is a polymer.
 9. The screen of claim 1, wherein the body is configured to filter fluid.
 10. The screen of claim 1, wherein the body is expandable when the binder is removable from the body.
 11. The screen of claim 1, wherein the body has a mat structure.
 12. The screen of claim 1, wherein the body has an open celled foam structure.
 13. A sand screen apparatus comprising: a tubular; and a body according to claim 1 in operable communication with the tubular positioned radially of the tubular.
 14. The sand screen apparatus of claim 13, wherein the tubular is perforated.
 15. A method of expanding a screen comprising: generating energy within a permeable body sufficient to change the body from a first volume to a second volume; binding the permeable body to prevent the generated energy from expanding the permeable body from the first volume to the second volume; weakening the binding to a level sufficient to allow the generated energy to expand the permeable body from the first volume to the second volume; and expanding the body from the first volume toward the second volume.
 16. The method of expanding a screen of claim 15, wherein the generating energy is through compaction of the body.
 17. The method of expanding a screen of claim 15, wherein the weakening the binding is through changes in temperature thereof.
 18. The method of expanding a screen of claim 15, wherein the weakening the binding is through exposing the binding to a solvent.
 19. The method of expanding a screen of claim 15, further comprising dissolving the binding.
 20. The method of expanding a screen of claim 15, further comprising removing the binding from the body.
 21. The method of expanding a screen of claim 15, wherein the generating energy is through extrusion of the body.
 22. A method of conforming a screen to a borehole, comprising: positioning a screen within a borehole; weakening a binding maintaining the screen at a first volume; expanding the screen toward a second volume with energy stored within the screen; and contacting walls of the borehole with the screen. 